"I just really liked her. It wasn't love at first sight - I wasn't looking for romance.

"But, naturally, I wasn't unmoved by her. She is a stunning woman. There was something there."

Sports star Mike Tindall wasn't wrong. Seven years after being introduced to that "stunning woman", Princess Anne's daughter Zara Phillips, the couple have decided to make it official

There is no more demonstrative or down-to-earth pairing in the royal fold.

Their easy body language speaks of a deep love and companionship, characterised by lots of shared laughter

Love blossomed during the 2003 Rugby World Cup after they were introduced by his teammate Austin Healey in a Sydney bar

Zara, the royal granddaughter-turned champion equestrian, who thought nothing of getting up at 6am morning after morning to muck out her horses, was immediately impressed by the gentle giant

In a magazine interview, she said: "We tell each other we love each other every day.

"I am an affectionate person and so is he. I don't like it when people don't like you touching them and so on"

Mike, a former England international who played for Bath before moving on to Gloucester, was soon seen at riding events.

At Gatcombe 2006, for example, he joined the horsewoman in walking the course with her father Captain Mark Phillips (left)

He fitted right in with the Windsors, whom he described as "a close family, no different from any other".

Of her mother, he said: "You've got to respect Princess Anne. If you didn't show her respect, you'd soon know about it.

"But I do and we get on very well. I call her Ma'am"

So well did they get on, in fact, that Mike had the Princess' approval to move in with Zara sharing a cottage on her 750-acre Gloucestershire estate

Never ones to take themselves too seriously, they love fun events such as this ball when they dressed up as a cowgirl and her cowboy.

On one occasion they even took part in a charity Mr & Mrs-style competition.

Asked by the quizmaster what he looked for in a girl, Mike selected the answer "membership of the royal family"

Having followed her on the eventing circuit, no one was prouder than Mike when she became world champion in 2006 on Toytown and was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year by the public

In 2007 he proudly joined her mother and her husband Vice Admiral Tim Laurence at a Buckingham Palace honours ceremony. Zara received an MBE, while her stepfather was made an Companion of the Order of the Bath

Just as he supports her on the equestrian circuit, she is often to be seen cheering him on from the stands

It's easy to see why her strapping boyfriend, seen here in action at the 2006 Six Nations Championship for England, earned the nickname 'The Fridge'.

Meanwhile, one England coach described him as the 'heartbeat of the side'

Challenges such as her withdrawal from the 2008 Olympics because her horse was injured or his disqualification from driving for a motoring offence that same year, only served to bring them closer

Over the years, their obvious commitment to each other gave rise to speculation about an engagement. And Zara made it clear a proposal wouldn't be unwelcome.